Written Testimony of Natalie Madeira Cofield on Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success

Full Committee Hearing: Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success
Wednesday, February 24, 2026
Rayburn House Office Building

Chair Williams, Ranking Member Velázquez, and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on the important role that career and technical education (CTE) plays in supporting small business formation, workforce development, and long-term economic resilience across the United States.

My name is Natalie Madeira Cofield, and I serve as President and CEO of the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a national nonprofit organization that advances entrepreneurial ecosystems through research, advocacy, and cross-sector partnerships. For 35 years, AEO has worked to strengthen the environment in which entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, particularly in rural and urban communities where small businesses serve as anchors of economic stability and job creation.

Small businesses employ nearly half of the private-sector workforce in the United States and account for the majority of net new job creation. At the same time, many entrepreneurs—particularly those launching trades-based businesses, rural enterprises, and veteran-owned firms—enter business ownership through technical skill pathways rather than traditional business education tracks. Career and technical education therefore represents not only a workforce development strategy, but also a pipeline to business ownership.

CTE equips individuals with applied skills in fields such as construction, advanced manufacturing, information technology, health services, and the skilled trades. These are precisely the sectors in which small businesses operate and expand. However, technical competency alone does not guarantee sustainable enterprise growth. Entrepreneurs must also navigate capital access, regulatory compliance, financial management, procurement systems, digital transformation, and market expansion.

When CTE programs are intentionally aligned with entrepreneurship education and small business ecosystem support, the results are significantly stronger. Research consistently demonstrates that businesses receiving structured technical assistance are more likely to survive, grow revenue, and create jobs. Integrating business fundamentals—such as accounting, operational planning, and digital commerce—into CTE pathways increases the likelihood that technical graduates can transition successfully from skilled worker to business owner.

This alignment is especially important for veterans and rural entrepreneurs. Veterans possess discipline, leadership experience, and technical training that translate well to business ownership, yet many require structured support to navigate civilian markets and financing systems. Similarly, rural entrepreneurs often operate in trades and service industries central to their local economies, but face geographic and capital access constraints. Strengthening CTE-to-entrepreneurship pathways in these communities supports local wealth creation and regional economic resilience.

As digital transformation accelerates, it is also critical that CTE curricula incorporate technology adoption, cybersecurity fundamentals, e-commerce, data literacy, and responsible use of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence. Small businesses increasingly compete in digitally integrated markets. Preparing future entrepreneurs to operate within that environment ensures that federal investments in CTE remain forward-looking and economically relevant.

To maximize the impact of CTE on Main Street success, Congress should consider several policy approaches. First, entrepreneurship competencies should be systematically embedded within CTE programs, ensuring that students graduate not only job-ready but enterprise-ready. Second, federal workforce and education investments should prioritize accessibility for veterans and rural communities, where entrepreneurship serves as a primary driver of economic stability. Third, stronger coordination between CTE institutions and local entrepreneurial ecosystem partners—including capital providers, mentorship networks, and procurement assistance programs—can create clear pathways from technical certification to business formation. Finally, federal evaluation metrics should measure not only employment outcomes, but also business creation, revenue growth, and regional economic impact, allowing policymakers to assess the full return on CTE investments.

Career and technical education is a powerful engine of economic mobility. When aligned with entrepreneurship support and ecosystem development, it becomes an ownership development strategy—one that expands opportunity, strengthens communities, and enhances national competitiveness. Preparing individuals for employment is essential. Preparing them for enterprise is transformative.

AEO stands ready to work with Congress, federal agencies, and state and local partners to strengthen the connection between CTE and small business development and to advance policies that foster sustainable entrepreneurial growth across rural and urban communities nationwide.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this testimony.

Natalie Madeira Cofield